Vayu Issue V Sep Oct 2015
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V/ 2015 Aerospace & Defence Review IAF at 83 : CAS Interview 75 Years : Battle of Britain 50 Years : Air War 1965 ‘Indradhanush’ 2015 RIAT 2015 The AMCA Programme SALUTING THE GUARDIANS OF THE INDIAN SKIES The Indian Air Force’s Hawk advanced jet trainer is a compelling story of success, providing the new generation training to the next generation air warriors and delivering our commitment to Make in India in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. On the 83rd Indian Air Force Day, we are excited to witness the Hawk take off for the new Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team, representing the speed, agility and precision of the Indian Air Force. Flown by a number of aerobatic teams, the Hawk is a remarkably exible aircraft meeting the demands of modern air forces for both training and operational missions. V/ 2015 V/ 2015 Aerospace & Defence Review 34 The IAF at 83 : 59 Rainbow Warriors 86 Air War 1965 Interview with CAS IAF at 83 : CAS Interview 75 Years : Battle of Britain 50 Years : Air War 1965 ‘Indradhanush’ 2015 RIAT 2015 The AMCA Programme In this juxtaposition painting by Priyanka Joshi, RAF Hawker Hurricane is seen in air combat In the second half of July 2015, Exercise with Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Me-109 during Indradhanush (‘Rainbow’) was held in 1940 while, 25 years later, IAF Hawker Hunter In his interview with Vayu on eve of the UK, this bilateral exercise between dogfights PAF F-86 Sabre in 1965. the IAF’s 83rd anniversary, Air Chief The Way We Wrote – and Painted ! the IAF and RAF taking place after The Air War of 1965 has been recalled Marshal Arup Raha talks about the five years. The IAF’s Su-30MKIs were Rafale procurement, issues on the in numerous books and various actions pitted against the RAF’s Eurofighter recorded for posterity by artists from EDITORIAL PANEL FGFA, development of the AMCA, Typhoons while Commandos of the timelines on the LCA, additional C-17s both sides of the Radcliffe Line, Gp MANAGING EDITOR two Arms interacted elsewhere. This and on much else. Capt SMA Hussaini and the duo of Vikramjit Singh Chopra exclusive coverage for Vayu is by Patrick Sameer and Priyanka Joshi. Vayu was Smitshoek, Stephan van Geem and present at Lucknow when the Keelor EDITORIAL ADVISOR 42 Beyond the MMRCA : Remco Stalenhoef. Brothers and other alumni were Admiral Arun Prakash the AMCA Phil Camp contributes his review of honoured by their Alma Mater and later the Exercise where The Typhoons in New Delhi when Alfred Cooke’s EDITORIAL PANEL of Coningsby hosted the Flankers incredible dogfight over Kalaikunda was Pushpindar Singh of Tezpur. recounted, and recorded by NDTV in Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal And Beyond Indradhanush 2015, Vayu’s presence. Dr. Manoj Joshi there was some ‘shadow boxing’ with Lt. Gen. Kamal Davar NDTV quoting the IAF Contingent Commander’s “12.0 victory”, which The Greatest (Air) Lt. Gen. BS Pawar was quickly sobered down ! 77 Air Marshal M. Matheswaran Show on Earth Gp Capt JC Malik Remembering ‘The Cdr M Nirmal With formal announcement that the 68 Monica Arora MMRCA programme has closed, with Few’ Angad Singh a limited purchase of 36 Rafales being Richard Gardner (UK) negotiated, ADA’s advanced medium Reuben Johnson (USA) combat aircraft (AMCA) might just be the panacea that the IAF is hoping for. Bertrand de Boisset (France) Based on the joint workshop organised Dr Nick Evesenkin (Russia) by SAS and ORF, this is a detailed look Tamir Eshel (Israel) at the AMCA programme, highlighting key areas of concern. ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER Vayu’s Angad Singh covers the Royal Husnal Kaur This year marks 75th Anniversary of International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2015 FGFA facing at RAF Fairford which is arguably the BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER 50 The Battle of Britain (July-October headwinds ? 1940), with numbers of flying displays most beloved such event in the world. Premjit Singh and other special events to mark the memorable occasion. Vayu’s UK Also : Défilé Aérien Editor Richard Gardner writes on the over Paris; Swamp commemorations. PUBLISHED BY: Foxes in Poland; Rolls- Legends of the Air Royce’s ‘Make in India’; Vayu Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. 70 The AgustaWestland D-43, Sujan Singh Park, New Delhi 110 003 India Connection; Interview Tel: +91 11 24617234 with Alex Cresswell; Hunt Fax: +91 11 24628615 Sayan Majumdar writes that despite for CG791; The Dragon’s e-mail: [email protected] technical progress of the PAK-FA a.k.a. New Colours; MBDA air- T-50 Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft e-mail: [email protected] (FGFA), there are serious ‘headwinds’, launched systems; The with Russia scaling down its purchase Derby BVRAAM. Printed at Aegean Offset Printers commitments almost continuously and 75 years ago an epic air battle raged Indian Defence Minister confirming over Europe. When it was over, ‘The that no progress has been made on Battle of Britain’ swiftly ascended into The opinions expressed in the articles Regular features : published in the Vayu Aerospace and the FGFA since mid-2013. Even if the legend. Vayu’s Angad Singh was in Commentary, Opinion, Viewpoint, Defence Review do not necessarily reflect Indo-Russian contract is signed this year, England during July 2015 to experience Geo-politics, Aviation & Defence in the views or policies of The Society for the IAF will not receive the first FGFAs part of the UK summer air show season India, World Aviation & Defence News, Aerospace Studies. before mid-2023. commemorating this incredible air war. Vayu 25 Years Back, Tale Spin. Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in How can I fly more passengers to the most popular airports at peak times? Fly the A380.The world’s most spacious commercial aircraft. Capture more high-yield traffic on the busiest routes and offer the highest passenger appeal with 18+ inch seats in economy. Airbus is the answer. airbus.com © AIRBUS, 2015. All rights reserved. Airbus, its logo and the product names are registered trademarks. Airbus_Vayu_August.indd Pg1 Prodigious UK 27/07/2015 13:22 How can I fly more passengers to the most popular airports at peak times? Fly the A380.The world’s most spacious commercial aircraft. Capture more high-yield traffic on the busiest routes and offer the highest passenger appeal with 18+ inch seats in economy. Airbus is the answer. airbus.com © AIRBUS, 2015. All rights reserved. Airbus, its logo and the product names are registered trademarks. Airbus_Vayu_August.indd Pg1 Prodigious UK 27/07/2015 13:22 C O M M E N T A R Y with military representation to submit its report on the anomalies Pachaas Saal Baad in implementation within a month, while the government has ndia is officially marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war as set up a one-member judicial committee with a time-frame of six Ia victory over Pakistan. The truth is more nuanced: neither side months. These technical minutiae can be resolved by the two sides gained much of an advantage over the other. Some aspects of the after mutual consultations. 1965 war are remarkably similar to today. What has changed and But what seems to have angered the veterans is the attempt by what hasn’t in India-Pakistan relations over the last half century? the government to sneak in a new clause about the denial of OROP Then as now, Pakistan’s principal motivation was to nab the to volunteer retirees. Because the armed forces have no concept of Indian part of Jammu & Kashmir through a mix of covert warfare, a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), it surprised most observers internal insurrection and overt aggression. Thus 30,000 Pakistani when the defence minister used this term. Military personnel who troops crossed the LoC on 5 August 1965 dressed as Kashmiri locals. take premature retirement do so for organisational reasons — the At the time Pakistan armed forces were better equipped mostly armed forces are a steeply pyramidal hierarchy, where only a fraction with US arms; Pakistan’s economy was held up as an example for of personnel get promoted, and the military would want the young other developing countries; and Pakistan had ceded a portion of and motivated among its ranks. Excluding these premature retirees Kashmir to China to secure Chinese support. Iran and Indonesia from OROP — about 40 per cent of all pensioners — would be too supported Pakistan while the USSR, which India had counted discriminatory and detrimental to the organisation. The prime on, proved surprisingly neutral. While the Indian economy was minister has announced that this clause will now be removed. held back by Nehruvian socialism the Indian military was just Even though the impasse continues for now, a final resolution emerging from the shadow of Nehruvian pacifism after the 1962 is near. It is thus time to step back and look at the consequences of China debacle. what has happened in the last few months. A government committed Nevertheless Indian forces had superiority in numbers and to fiscal prudence has agreed to Rs 12,000 crore in arrears, and an surprised the Pakistanis by opening a second front in Punjab. In additional annual defence pensions bill of Rs 8-10,000 crore. This the end the war proved a stalemate. Today, Indian armed forces bill will increase every year, with a quantum jump when a new pay are far more modern and better supplied. India’s annual per capita commission announces its award, as is scheduled to happen next income ($5,800 PPP) exceeds Pakistan’s ($4,700 PPP) while growth year. In this period of global economic downturn, the government rates of both are comparable. But the critical difference is that both will have to ensure that it doesn’t breed OROP-like demands from sides are nuclear armed and extensive conventional conflict as in other employees, such as those in the paramilitary forces.